Oklahoma Cityís Film Row Districtís redevelopment takes shape

During the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Realtors bus tour June 18, real estate brokers and business owners saw the progress of the historical Film Row District's renovation in the 700 block of West Sheridan and Lee avenues.

Local designer David Wanzer gave a presentation on the Film Row District in which he discussed the area's history as a distribution hub for all major Hollywood studios including Columbia, Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers, MGM, RKO, United Artists and 20th Century Fox. Area developer Chip Fudge has spearheaded the quest to renovate the area into a mixed-used destination.

Wanzer told the group these are exciting times he says as years of design, planning and now occupancy are coming together. Next, he said, will be the area's streetscape project.

EAST TO WEST

Traveling west on Sheridan, Tietsort Design purchased the building at 614 W Sheridan Ave.

The 22,000-square-foot Film Exchange building, 700-708 W Sheridan Ave., is at 60-percent occupancy. The building has two additional key spaces available for lease.

Real Estate broker Philip Bohanon with Marcus Millichap who is handling the leasing for the Film Exchange building, said a 3,200 square feet retail space at 700 W Sheridan Ave. in the Film Exchange buildings lower level is currently being built out as a restaurant/cafť site.

The building's second level is also available for lease. The 6,200-square-foot office space features: two 10 tall skylights, new insulated double pane glazing in original steel casement windows, new mechanical, electrical and plumbing, and a new roof.

Next door, Critical Mass Productions, a video production company, is scheduled to occupy space at 702 W Sheridan Ave., with a fall 2009 opening.

Wanzer said IAO Gallery will soon occupy 6,000 square feet at 706-708 W Sheridan Ave. Renovations are underway and the tenant is scheduled to move into the building in August.

At 720 W Sheridan Ave. is the 35,000-square-foot Hart building which was built as a storage warehouse in 1956. Bohanon says the building is currently in shell condition and new windows are being placed on the property.